New Haven, Mo. – Residents serviced by the New Haven Post-Office should have received an envelope (as pictured above) from the United States Postal Service earlier this week. Thanks in part to the large amount of “junk mail” you may have accidentaly thrown away, this extremely important survey, that will have an effect on New Haven’s Post Office. (At the bottom of this article we have provided a copy of the survey for you to download.)

The survey sent out will play a major role in the decision made whether or not to reduce weekdays to “6 hours of window service.”

The letter enclosed with the survey states, “After receiving the results of this survey, the Postal Service will examine the responses and unless the community has a strong preference (more than 60% percent of surveys returned) for conducting a discontinuance study for the New Haven Post Office and establishing one of the additional sources of services”, there is further explain in this letter.

The explanation given is somewhat confusing however, after we have carefully examined the language used in the letter; below is an overall summary based on our interpretation.

The Postal Service is conducting a “review process” for certain locations as termed, “Post plan.” They have chose New Haven’s Post Office based on the “Post Plan Criteria”, which they do not list what the “so called” criteria that was used.

The federal regulated Postal Service “Post plan” will reduce weekday hours from 7 hours to 6 hours. They do not provide what the new hours will be. Hours of operation could possibly be 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. (This is ONLY an example since no time frame was given.)

Aside from reducing hours, the postal service wants “locally established businesses to serve as a contractor-operated postal location.” We are led to believe based on this statement, the Postal Service is attempting to have local businesses bear the weight and/or over time become a replacement for New Haven’s Post Office.

Furthermore, they do not indicate what types of incentives will be given to any local business who may chose to be a contractor-operated postal location or additional regulations that maybe placed on businesses.

There will be a public meeting that will be conveniently held on Tuesday, October 11 at 2 p.m. at the New Haven Post Office.

All surveys must be returned by Thursday, September 27. If by chance you accidently discarded the survey we have you covered. Simply click here to download the survey and mail it to the address listed.

We feel this may be an attempt to eventually close New Haven’s Post Office based on a section of the letter, encouraging local businesses to “serve as a contractor-operated postal location.”